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Millennials vs. Boomers: 5 Stereotypes That Aren't True (Mostly)

Millennials are lazy, entitled and get more done on Facebook than at work. Baby Boomers are old, set in their ways and wouldn’t know how to use all this new technology even if they wanted to. Today, this generational odd couple works side by side in almost equal numbers now. No wonder we never get any work done.

Of course, these examples are just stereotypes. But is there any truth to them? Nonprofit IT trade association CompTIA recently examined workplace tendencies of Millennials and Baby Boomers to find the truth about workplace behaviors, and how employers can best cater to the groups that make up the biggest portion of our workforce.

Reality: Millennials are far more likely than Boomers to seek out training and career development, to tout their technology proficiency to employers, and to work collaboratively with and learn from tech support. They are quite proactive in developing their own careers and selling their tech skills to employers. They also seek different kinds of training. They are less interested in traditional classroom training and far more interested in e-learning, educational mobile applications, gaming simulations and other non-traditional types of training. Given the horrendous job market they graduated into and the fierce competition with other Millennials, it is no surprise that most don’t view having a good job as a given.

Stereotype 2: Boomers don’t get new tech.

Reality: According to the study, Boomers are just as tech savvy as their Millennial counterparts, but they just don’t think they are. Millennials are far more likely than Boomers to describe their technology use as “cutting edge” or “upper tier.” The other difference seems to be that Boomers learn and use the latest tech out of career necessity, while Millennials see it as a natural part of their lifestyle.

Stereotype 3: Millennials waste time at work on their phones and social websites.

Reality: It’s not exactly what you think. Millennials blend the lines between work and personal life with their tech, using Facebook, Twitter, instant messaging and their own smartphones to communicate at work, much more so than Boomers. They play when they work and work when they play. In them, we can see the workweek evolving into a 24/7 affair. Boomers, on the other hand, view work and personal life as very separate things, and ne’er the twain shall meet.

Stereotype 4: Baby Boomers stubbornly won’t switch over to the latest tech tools and are getting left behind.

Reality: Microsoft tools such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint are still very much the predominant tool used in the workplace by far, so Boomers can keep on using them with confidence. Millennials use them, too, along with bringing more out-of-the-box things to the table, like Keynote and Google docs, in addition to new avenues such as gaming, social media and job-specific mobile apps. It couldn’t hurt Boomers to learn them, but they won’t be usurping what you’re used to anytime soon.

Stereotype 5: Millennials would rather talk to a screen than a person, while Baby Boomers waste time with endless meetings.

Reality: This one is basically true, but in a good way. Millennials prefer to use multiple tools to communicate with coworkers: text, instant messaging, social media and other virtual tools. Boomers prefer the good ol’ fashion meeting or phone call. All methods have their benefits, and the workplace is best when both are used appropriately; there are some meetings that a couple of IMs can handle more efficiently, and there are some that are far too complex to happen over a group text message.

To Sum It Up

Millennials aren’t lazy, and Boomers aren’t clueless. Both generations have their strengths, but instead of tension, we’re learning from each other. Smart employers and managers recognize that and get everyone working together to make a better work environment.

*In 2010, Baby Boomers made up 43 percent of the workforce while Millennials made up 35 percent.

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